I've just discovered this documentary, the entire 47 minutes is available (at least for now) on YouTube. I won't hot-link it (does doing so viiolate a rule?), but easy enough to find.

Fascinating program!

I know there's a book on the mission, which I still need to read, Operation Black Buck. (This was in the 1982 Falklands war, the bombing of the runway at Port Stanley with nearly retired Avro Vulcans, in order to render the runways useless to the Argentine air forces). Wasn't aware of this documentary. Does anyone know where it showed originally?

I have the documentary in my Youtube Favourites, together with all nine episodes of HMS Ark Royal, which are quite interesting themselves.
By the way, the documentary is actually based on Rowland Whites Book Vulcan 607, which gives even more details. It is well worth reading, I can highly recommend it.

Have had the privilege of hearing Peter Taylor give a talk on Black Buck...it was an incredible mission, something that would never pass a risk assessment! Between recovering refueling probes from scrap yards, stealing INS systems from VC-10s, and calculating fuel plans involving multiple buddy-buddy exercises with 16 (IIRC) Victors...

It was a brilliant military achievement, maybe not so much because of the physical damage inflicted, but moreso because it sent a psychological message too...we can reach you! Sadly, that capability doesn't exist today...

Quoting rampart (Thread starter):I've just discovered this documentary, the entire 47 minutes is available (at least for now) on YouTube. I won't hot-link it (does doing so viiolate a rule?), but easy enough to find.

Watched the video last month, outstanding piece of work. One part that caught my attention was when one of the aircrew mentioned having former Bomber Command personel tour their Vulcans saying that some of the equipment was not much different from what they used.

No, but the RN did not have Tomahawk missiles on their subs in 1982, they've been used in 4 separate missions since 1999. Only the United States and possibly Israel also have this ability.

Quoting LMP737 (Reply 7):Watched the video last month, outstanding piece of work. One part that caught my attention was when one of the aircrew mentioned having former Bomber Command personel tour their Vulcans saying that some of the equipment was not much different from what they used.

The H2S mapping radar was taken from Lancaster and Halifax bombers, for the V-Force.
I guess when the task was to drop a nuke on a Soviet city, that still did the job.

Plus the then state of the art ECM systems fitted to the MK.2 Vulcan and Victor, was not only 20 years old by 1982, it was optimised against Soviet systems of that era.
Hence the bolting of an ALQ-101, US supplied for the RAF Buccaneer force, on a pylon quickly fabricated, to attachments originally intended for the carriage of the US Skybolt missile. The final batch of these Vulcans were on the line before that system was cancelled.

What's interesting about the Vulcan if were to gut the inside and update it with new engines, FBW controls, modern avionics and change the design of the vertical you would never know the original design was from the early fifties.

It definitely has the same ring to it, though the Vulcan did have the "underdog"-factor to contend with as well. Plus, the Black Buck missions, they later repeated the raid, actually took place, whereas Flight of the Old Dog was fictional. Both are fascinating material, however for me, the Brits come out ahead.

Quoting thomil13FRA (Reply 3):By the way, the documentary is actually based on Rowland Whites Book Vulcan 607, which gives even more details. It is well worth reading, I can highly recommend it.

Currently about 50% thought it..... fascinating read. Lots of little nuggets of info on the personalities and tricks they used to get the Vulcans/Victors ready for the mission. (using home beer brewing gadget to achieve a pressure proof seal on the newly fabricated pylons for the Vulcans)

I think my favourite anecdote so far is the Naval Attache in the USA; he hears that the Argentines have stopped ships supplying the island garrison as Royal Navy subs have been spotted in the area, however he knows that the HMS Splendid and HMS Spartan are still at least 24 hours away and wonders about this. Later at a reception he is passed by the Soviet Naval attache who without stopping whispers "I hope our submarines are helping out"

Quoting EagleBoy (Reply 12):I think my favourite anecdote so far is the Naval Attache in the USA; he hears that the Argentines have stopped ships supplying the island garrison as Royal Navy subs have been spotted in the area, however he knows that the HMS Splendid and HMS Spartan are still at least 24 hours away and wonders about this. Later at a reception he is passed by the Soviet Naval attache who without stopping whispers "I hope our submarines are helping out"

It most certainly does exist, albeit in a different form - Tomahawks launched from nuclear submarines. A lot more accurate and far less risky than sending a lone bomber all the way down there with a squadron of tankers in support!

As for the Rowland White book, yes it is an excellent read. I especially liked how he describes subsequent raids on Stanley where Vulcans performed SEAD using Shrike missiles - the pylons and wiring being retrofitted to the Vulcans rather quickly! He describes one sortie where the Vulcan was loitering waiting for a target but the Argentines refused to light up their radars and provide a target. The enterprising Vulcan pilot then slowed right down, made a landing approach to Stanley Airport, even lowering his undercarriage. The Argentine AAA radar lit up and he quickly got a missile away and took them out.

Rowland White has also written another two books - Phoenix Squadron and Storm Front. I've got all three books in hardback and on my Kindle for good measure.

Quoting BilgeRat (Reply 17):Rowland White has also written another two books - Phoenix Squadron and Storm Front. I've got all three books in hardback

Me too! In fact Rowland White's books are the only ones which I don't wait for the paperback edition!
(I could mention Kindle but techno-dinosaur me spent a period thinking that was a white chocolate egg, with a toy inside, for kids!)